[ The Art of Erotic Eating ]

Aphrodisiac foods, that is, foods that are believed to increase sexual desire, have been used around the world for hundreds of years to create passion and lust. And we all know that good sex needs plenty of energy. So eat up!

Top 10 lust-inducing foods

Avocado The ancient Aztecs called it ahuacatl, which means "testicle". Ah! Thought it looked familiar! Praised by the Spanish for its ability to arouse — and swiftly banned by Catholic priests for the very same reason...

Almond This nutty little number has long been associated with passion and fertility. The scent of almond is said to excite women, and it is thus a common ingredient in soaps, lotions and the like.

Banana There's no disputing the phallic resemblance, but did you know the humble banana is packed with vitamins that are said to work wonders for our sex hormones?

Chocolate Is there any food more associated with sex and romance than chocolate? Legendary super-stud Casanova was a serious chocoholic and rumour has it, he always tucked into some before entertaining his lady friends.

Chilli Not for the faint hearted, spicy chilli is great for stimulating circulation. And all that increased blood flow only helps with your sense of arousal. So if you're in the mood for love, don't forget to spice it up!

Figs This erotic-looking, fleshy fruit is said to act as a powerful sexual stimulant. It has been revered by everyone from the Greeks to the Egyptians as a sacred food associated with fertility and love.

Mustard Another fiery foodstuff reported to increase sexual desire. In the Middle Ages mustard paste was used as a stimulant and smeared over the body, paying particular attention to the male member...

Oysters Packed with zinc, the oyster has long been associated with virility and sexual performance. Their suggestive appearance makes them a firm favourite with lovers the world over.

Pinenuts Also packed with zinc, the ancient pine nut has been used for centuries in the creation of love potions. Roman poet Ovid wrote of their arousing properties in his controversial work 'The Art of Love.'

Strawberries Strawberries, and raspberries for that matter, paired with Champagne are regarded as a powerful and seductive aphrodisiac. Known in erotic literature as "fruit nipples", these tasty morsels are the sexiest fruit around.

For the ultimate in sexy eating, try a blindfolded picnic. Blindfold your partner then choose a morsel of exotic food to have them sample. Tease them with the food while you feed it to them — will it be salty, spicy, sweet? Use your fingers. Watch their reactions as they devour each titbit with pleasure.

A word of caution though, choose your picnic location wisely, with all this sexy food, things could get a little out of control... So unless you are an exhibitionist, you might feel more comfortable closer to home.